Sisters Outreach – Nazareth House Port Elizabeth

Working and caring for the poor and vulnerableis the special charism of the Sisters of Nazareth.

Some of these outreaches and community work projects require the Sisters to visit remote locations and provide support, care, and basic necessities to those who need it most. Even during the national lockdown, the Sisters have continued serving these impoverished communities and helping the poor and in need.

The Sisters at Nazareth House Port Elizabeth have an outreach program in the Schauderville township in Port Elizabeth. It is run from the St. James Catholic Church.  Schauderville is one of the poorest suburbs in Port Elizabeth, a city with the highest unemployment rate in South Africa. Some of the people in this area live in abject poverty, many existing on not more than one meal a day. The crime rate is high, and gangs rule the area. In this poverty-stricken area, the Sisters assist with soup kitchens and donations of items that the community desperately needs. The presence, love, and compassion they provide to this community fulfil a great need. The Sisters spend additional time offering moral support and guidance to the community membersduring each visit.

The Sisters go out with two pots of food to share with the poor. The food is cooked in the convent on Monday, and there are between 60-100 men and women waiting to receive the soup, sadly even children come on their own for food at times. It is unfortunate to see so many young people out of work. The Northern Areas is one of the most deprived areas in Port Elizabeth

“As lockdown regulations stopped the hustlers from getting money, pushed the hungry into desperation and left many struggling with joblessness, groups of people looted spaza shops and schools in Port Elizabeth’s Northern Areas.” – Daily Maverick